Residents at a loss over solution to Tyndale tragedies

by cmorton

Clair Morton
Journalist
Although I’ve moved around a bit, I’m a Queensland girl at heart with a love of the ocean and the mighty maroons. Since moving to Grafton earlier this year I have fallen in love with the Valley lifestyle. The best part of my job here is getting to know the locals and putting their stories on paper; there is always something going on and so many people with interesting tales to tell.

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The death of 19-year-old Fernvale man Sam Reeve marks the second fatality at Tyndale this year, and until the notorious section of the Pacific Highway is upgraded, Ms Cranston, like other residents in the area, is at a loss as to what can be done to make the single carriageway road safer.

Mr Radford, who lives next door to the Plantation Hotel, said he didn't think there was any option for the speed limit could be brought down further, but said he would like to see a speed camera, even temporarily, introduced along the Pacific Highway to slow people down.

"As far as I'm concerned if you take your time and be patient it's quite safe," he said.

"But people still think they need to drive over 80km/hr to overtake.

"Even more police presence; that might slow them down along the way. It might be the next best thing until they build the new highway."

It is uncertain exactly when the highly troubled section of the highway will be upgraded, but with works already under way in the Clarence Valley the Tyndale section should be turned into a dual carriageway by 2020 at the latest.

"Unfortunately I can't see any more resolutions; the 80km speed limit has even been extended further on from the Brisbane end for roadworks. That has made a difference but until the roadworks are completed I can't see any change," Ms Cranston said.

"We have a progress association meeting every month so next month we will bring it up to the meeting.

"Maybe the speed limit should be reduced further down, or we have flashing lights everywhere, or we put in a temporary speed camera to see what the trend is, because I'm quite certain a lot of people don't travel at 80km."

Until then, Ms Cranston she just hoped it didn't happen again.

"I couldn't get back to sleep until 3am (on Wednesday night), I just kept thinking about that poor kid," she said.

"The young boy and his dad were lucky they were flipped out of the way. The boy had a gash on his head and the dad had sore ribs, but they were in front of the truck so it could have been much, much worse."